I paired a sweet, crisp pastry crust with rich vanilla custard and fresh ripe fruit brushed in the easiest glossy glaze to present my Classic Fruit Tart.

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I love how a few simple things turn ordinary fruit into something worth lingering over. My Fresh Fruit Tart has a sweet crisp shell built from all purpose flour and a filling that tastes like a guilty little secret with vanilla extract at its core.

It reads like a Classic Fruit Tart but then surprises you with the kind of glossy finish that makes a Fruit Tart With Pastry Cream seem effortless. I promise it looks like bakery work, but theres a few tiny hacks I use that only the curious will notice.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Gives structure and carbs, low in fiber, makes crust tender when handled gently.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness, fat and flavor, helps browning and flakiness, not a protein source.
Egg yolks: Provide protein and emulsifiers, make custard silky, add color and extra richness.
Fresh fruit: Sweet and tart, full of vitamins and fiber, adds bright flavor and color to tart.
Cornstarch: Thickens custard without eggy taste, mostly carbs, keeps filling glossy and stable.
Apricot jam: Shiny glaze, adds sweet edge and slight tartness, helps preserve fruit sheen.
Whole milk: Adds creaminess, calcium and some protein, gives custard softer mouthfeel and richness.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens crust and dusting, dissolves fast, mostly simple carbs no fiber.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups (160 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar

1/4 tsp fine salt

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold cubed

1 large egg yolk

1 to 2 tbsp ice cold water

2 cups (480 ml) whole milk

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch

2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

pinch of fine salt

3 to 4 cups assorted fresh ripe fruit such as strawberries blueberries kiwi peaches raspberries

1/4 cup (80 g) apricot jam or preserves

1 to 2 tbsp water or lemon juice

powdered sugar for dusting optional

How to Make this

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1. Make the tart dough: pulse flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl or food processor, cut in cold cubed butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs, stir in the egg yolk and 1 tbsp ice cold water, add the 2nd tbsp only if needed to bring it together; press into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, smooth the top with your fingers, cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment and bake another 8 to 12 minutes until edges are golden; let cool completely in the pan.

3. While shell bakes, heat the milk in a saucepan until it just starts to steam and small bubbles form at the edge, do not boil.

4. Whisk together granulated sugar, the 4 egg yolks and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth.

5. Temper the yolk mixture by slowly pouring about a third of the hot milk into it while whisking, then pour everything back into the saucepan.

6. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a gentle boil, cook 1 to 2 minutes more while stirring so the cornstarch is fully cooked and there is no starchy taste.

7. Remove from heat, whisk in the 2 tbsp butter, vanilla (or scraped vanilla bean seeds) and a pinch of salt, strain through a mesh sieve if you want silky custard, press plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold.

8. Prepare the glaze by warming apricot jam with 1 to 2 tbsp water or lemon juice until smooth, strain to remove chunks and set aside warm so it brushes easily.

9. Assemble the tart: spread the chilled vanilla custard evenly into the cooled tart shell, arrange 3 to 4 cups of assorted fresh ripe fruit on top however you like (slice kiwis, halve strawberries, scatter berries).

10. Gently brush the fruit with the warm apricot glaze to give shine and seal it, chill the tart for at least 30 minutes to set, dust with powdered sugar just before serving if you want.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom
2. Food processor or large mixing bowl and pastry cutter (to cut in the butter)
3. Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy
4. Medium saucepan for heating milk and cooking custard
5. Whisk (for eggs, sugar and tempering)
6. Rubber spatula plus an offset spatula to smooth the custard
7. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
8. Fine mesh sieve for a silky custard
9. Pastry brush for glazing the fruit
10. Plastic wrap to press onto custard surface while chilling

FAQ

Q: How do I stop the tart crust from shrinking in the pan? A: Chill the dough at least 30 minutes after you press it into the pan, don't overwork it, and blind bake with pie weights or dried beans. If it still shrinks a little, press it back gently while it's warm, and try to keep the oven temp steady so it doesn't spasm and pull away.

Q: My pastry cream is lumpy, how do I fix it? A: Most lumps come from adding hot milk too fast or not whisking. Temper the yolks by whisking a little hot milk in first, then add the rest. If it's already lumpy, push it through a fine mesh sieve while it's hot and whisk it smooth, then cool with plastic wrap on the surface so it doesn't form a skin.

Q: The fruit makes the tart soggy, any tricks? A: Brush a thin layer of apricot jam (warmed and thinned with water or lemon) over the fruit to seal juices. You can also spread a thin layer of jam or melted chocolate on the cooled crust before the cream, and always add fragile berries right before serving when possible.

Q: Can I make parts of this tart ahead of time? A: Yes, make-ahead is easy. Baked crust keeps 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, pastry cream stays 2 days in the fridge (cover directly with plastic), and sliced fruit keeps a day. Assemble the day you serve for best texture, or you get soggier fruit and softer crust.

Q: What if my custard is too thin or won't set? A: Return it to low heat and whisk constantly until it thickens, that usually works. If it still won't set, mix a little cold cornstarch with milk to make a slurry and stir it in then cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Chill completely, plastic on the surface helps it firm up.

Q: Any good substitutions for dairy or eggs? A: You can use full fat plant milks (like coconut or oat) but the texture will change, add a bit more cornstarch to help set. For eggs, there are vegan pastry cream recipes that use cornstarch + plant milk + vegan butter, or just use a high quality store bought pastry cream if you want to skip fiddly swaps.

Fresh Fruit Tart Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups): swap for 1 1/4 cups pastry flour for a more tender crust, or use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend + 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t already have it.
Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, cold): use equal amount cold vegan butter, or chilled solid coconut oil. Note coconut oil can give a light coconut taste, so use vegan butter if you want neutral flavor.
Whole milk (2 cups): replace with 2 cups full-fat oat milk or unsweetened almond milk; if you want richer creaminess add 1 tbsp melted butter or 1 tbsp heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy-free).
4 large egg yolks (for pastry cream): for an egg-free custard, whisk 3 to 4 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup sugar, blend into 2 cups plant milk and cook till thick; or blend 12 oz silken tofu with 2-3 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, warm and stir until smooth.

Pro Tips

1. Keep things cold and move fast. Cold butter and ice cold water make a flakier crust, so pulse quickly or use your fingers for as little time as possible. If the dough looks too dry add a teaspoon of ice cold water at a time, and if it cracks when you press it dont panic patch it with bits of dough and chill again.

2. Blind bake smart. Let the shell cool a little with the weights in place so it holds its shape, then remove the weights and give the edges a few more minutes to get golden. For extra protection against a soggy bottom brush the cooled shell with a thin layer of beaten egg white and bake a minute or two more to seal it.

3. Watch the custard like a hawk. Temper the yolks slowly and whisk constantly, if you see any curdling pull it off the heat and whisk hard then strain it, that usually saves it. Cook it until it thickly coats a spoon and you see a gentle boil for about a minute so the cornstarch loses that starchy taste, then press plastic wrap on the surface to stop skin.

4. Pick and glaze fruit for best texture and shine. Use ripe but firm fruit and slice right before assembling so juices dont weep into the custard, and warm the apricot jam with a little lemon or water so it brushes on smoothly but isnt hot enough to melt the custard.

Fresh Fruit Tart Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I paired a sweet, crisp pastry crust with rich vanilla custard and fresh ripe fruit brushed in the easiest glossy glaze to present my Classic Fruit Tart.

Servings

servings

Calories

426

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom
2. Food processor or large mixing bowl and pastry cutter (to cut in the butter)
3. Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy
4. Medium saucepan for heating milk and cooking custard
5. Whisk (for eggs, sugar and tempering)
6. Rubber spatula plus an offset spatula to smooth the custard
7. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
8. Fine mesh sieve for a silky custard
9. Pastry brush for glazing the fruit
10. Plastic wrap to press onto custard surface while chilling

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (160 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold cubed
1 large egg yolk
1 to 2 tbsp ice cold water
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
pinch of fine salt
3 to 4 cups assorted fresh ripe fruit such as strawberries blueberries kiwi peaches raspberries
1/4 cup (80 g) apricot jam or preserves
1 to 2 tbsp water or lemon juice
powdered sugar for dusting optional

Directions

Make the tart dough: pulse flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl or food processor, cut in cold cubed butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs, stir in the egg yolk and 1 tbsp ice cold water, add the 2nd tbsp only if needed to bring it together; press into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, smooth the top with your fingers, cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment and bake another 8 to 12 minutes until edges are golden; let cool completely in the pan.
While shell bakes, heat the milk in a saucepan until it just starts to steam and small bubbles form at the edge, do not boil.
Whisk together granulated sugar, the 4 egg yolks and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth.
Temper the yolk mixture by slowly pouring about a third of the hot milk into it while whisking, then pour everything back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a gentle boil, cook 1 to 2 minutes more while stirring so the cornstarch is fully cooked and there is no starchy taste.
Remove from heat, whisk in the 2 tbsp butter, vanilla (or scraped vanilla bean seeds) and a pinch of salt, strain through a mesh sieve if you want silky custard, press plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold.
Prepare the glaze by warming apricot jam with 1 to 2 tbsp water or lemon juice until smooth, strain to remove chunks and set aside warm so it brushes easily.
Assemble the tart: spread the chilled vanilla custard evenly into the cooled tart shell, arrange 3 to 4 cups of assorted fresh ripe fruit on top however you like (slice kiwis, halve strawberries, scatter berries).
Gently brush the fruit with the warm apricot glaze to give shine and seal it, chill the tart for at least 30 minutes to set, dust with powdered sugar just before serving if you want.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.